Starter quiz
- Put the following in the order in which they appear in a narrative.
- 1⇔opening
- 2⇔build-up
- 3⇔climax
- 4⇔resolution
- Which of the following accurately summarises the opening of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- Scrooge's disdain for Christmas contrasts the joyous festive atmosphere. ✓
- Scrooge finds his Christmas spirit while strolling the streets of London.
- Scrooge appears happy while those around him show discontent.
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- What does 'suspense' mean?
- a feeling of comfort and security about what is to come
- a feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen ✓
- a feeling of excitement and joy for what is being experienced
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- What is a paragraph?
- a single line or group of lines in a poem or song
- the name or label given to a piece of writing
- a section of writing that groups together related sentences or ideas ✓
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- True or false? Paragraphs are always about completely different ideas and there is no connection between them.
- True
- False ✓
- When planning a section of a narrative, how should the notes be organised and written?
- in full sentences
- in chronological order ✓
- in bullet points containing key vocabulary ✓
- in any order my ideas come to me
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Exit quiz
- Put the following events in the build-up of 'A Christmas Carol' in the correct order.
- 1⇔Scrooge returned home and felt initially relieved.
- 2⇔Strange noises filled the house and Scrooge began to feel uneasy.
- 3⇔Scrooge became panicked by ringing bells and the Ghost of Marley appeared.
- 4⇔Marley warned Scrooge of his cruel ways and the ghosts that would visit him.
- What kind of atmosphere is conveyed in Scrooge's home during the build-up?
- a safe atmosphere
- a vibrant amosphere
- an eerie atmosphere ✓
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- True or false? It is most important to describe what can be seen when conveying the atmosphere within a setting.
- True
- False ✓
- Match the senses to the examples given to convey an eerie atmosphere within Scrooge's home.
- smell⇔musty scent of untouched, dusty rooms ✓
- sight⇔flickering shadows cast by the candlelight ✓
- taste⇔the taste of stale, bitter air ✓
- touch/feel⇔icy draft blew through the narrow hallways ✓
- sound⇔soft creaking of ageing floorboards ✓
- What is 'show and tell'?
- telling the reader exactly how a character feels
- showing a character’s feelings with description of their actions and expressions ✓
- words that appear frequently within a story
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- Match the following emotions Scrooge feels to the appropriate examples of 'show and tell'.
- unease⇔Scrooge felt a tingling sensation throughout his body. ✓
- terror⇔Scrooge shook uncontrollably, unable to speak a word. ✓
- relief⇔Scrooge’s body relaxed and he exhaled deeply. ✓
Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The build-up of ‘A Christmas Carol’ creates an eerie atmosphere leading up to the Ghost of Marley appearing.
- A key feature of the build-up is the building of suspense for the reader.
- The build-up will be written over two paragraphs where the suspense gradually increases.
- The use of precise vocabulary describing a range of sensory details helps to convey an eerie atmosphere.
- The use of ‘show and tell’ to describe Scrooge’s experiences conveys his emotions and supports in building suspense.
Common misconception
Children may struggle to develop their own ideas for 'show and tell' to convey Scrooge's emotions.
Ask the children to recall a time when they have felt the emotions Scrooge does (e.g. nervousness or fear) and ask them what kind of physical sensations they experience during these moments. Examples to offer might be 'clammy hands' or 'tight chest'.
Keywords
Build-up - the building of action and suspense that leads up to the climax in a narrative
Suspense - a state of feeling excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen
Sensory details - descriptions that include touch, sight, taste, sound and smell
'show and tell' - a writing technique for showing a character’s feelings with description of their actions and expressions
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